Traction-wheel.



1X in zoom A. E. GLASGOGK.

TRACTION WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.9,1907.

PATENTED NOV. 5, I907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED E. GLASCOGK, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRTGT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR, BYMES NlE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FARM MOTOR. COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF SOUTHDAKOTA.

TRACTION-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Nov. 5, 190?.

Application filed April 9. 1907- I Serial No. 367.229=

the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'lraetion-Whecls,of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to traction wheels, and it consists in thenovel construction and arrangement of its parts as hereinafter shown anddescribed.

The object of the present invention is to provide a wheel of thecharacter stated with a series of pivoted tractors which are so mountedupon the wheel rim as to be automatically forced out beyond the rim ofthe wheel should the said wheel slip or spin in soft earth, mud or sand.Normally the said tractors lie wholly within the rim of the wheel, andare so positioned when the wheel is passing over hard roads, pavementsor bridges, con-,

sequcntly they can do no damage to the surfaces of such highways. Meansis provided for returning the said tractors to the interior of the wheelrim at each revolution thereof, thus the said tractors cannot remain inex tended position with relation to the wheel rim, and can assume suchpositions only as a consequence of slipping or spinning of the wheel,which slipping or spinning can occur only in soft earth, mud or sand.

Heretofore att mpts have been made to provide traction wheels witheffective and unobj ectionable movable tractors, but for the greaterpart such devices have been unsatisfactory, inasmuch, as they all dependupon a lever or other manually operated means for moving the tractorswith relation to the wheel rim. When such constructions are relied uponthey require the attention of an operator, or if neglected by theoperator may be the source of damage both to the engine and the roadwayto no inconsiderable degree. If through oversight or neglect suchtractors are permitted to remain extended with relation to the wheel rimwhile the engine is passing over a hard road, bridges, etc., the saidtractors will mutilate the surface of the thoroughfare and as eachtractor comes in contact with the said surface the engine must partiallyor entirely lift itself bodily over the tractor which operates as achock and necessarily impedes the speed of the engine and subjects thesame to unnecessary jarring and jolting and the dmnage to the machineryincidental thereto. Furthermore in order to project the tractors muchenergy must be expended for unless the traction wheel is in very softmud the engine. must be at least partially lifted in order to have thetractors extend to their greatest degree.

In my present invention all of these objections are effectually overcomeas the tractors require noattention on the part of an operator, as theynormally lie within the wheel rim and consequently the engine be runover hard surfaces with impunity, and

without damage to either engine or road. As they are automaticallyextended only as a consequence of slipping or spinning of the wheel,which ''can onlw occur in soft ground as above pointed out, they areprojected. by the energy of the engine, which energy is, usually wasted,and they therefore do not call for such. laborious manual exertion inorder to be extended, as movable tractorshave heretofore required. l

In the accompanying drawingz-Tigure 1, is aside elevation of a tractionwheel partly in section equipped with the tractors. Fig. 2, is atransverse sectional view of a portion of the wheel rim; and Fig. 3, isa prrspective view of a portion of the wheel rim partly in section.

The wheel comprises the rim 1, which is provided at suitable intervalswith the openings 2. Each of the said openings is provided with thefront arcuate wall 3, and the roar straight wall 4. The tractors 5 arepivotally mounted upon the pins 6, which extend transversely through thewheelrim and through the openings 2 thereof. The said tractors are ofpeculiar configuration. Each is provided with a top flat surface'7, a.front arcuate surface 8, which fits snugly against the wall 3, of itsreceiving opening; the opposite curved surface 9, and the under surface10. The surface 10, is provided with a transversely extending groovewhich is located slightly in advance of thepin 6. The surfaces 9 and 10,meet in an acuminate edge 12. The groove 11 is disposed from the undersurface of the tractor toward the forward curved surfarc 8 thereof. Thepin 13 is fixed to a stationary point at the side of the engine and hasits end lying in the path of the inwardly projecting portions of thetractors when the latter are extended, whereby the tractors will bereturned to their normal positions. The wheel thus equipped withtractors will pass over smooth streets, roads or bridges without injuryto the same; when, however, the wheel enters soft mud or earth andbegins to slip or spin, the soft material pushing up into the grooves11, will turn the tractors on the pins 6,

except the front wall thereof, and consequently the 7 said openings maybe readily cut and machined as they are devoid of minor obliquelydisposed surfaces.

It will thus be seen that the peculiar configuration necessary to theproper operation of the tractors, resides in the tractors themselves,which are small parts said tractors will be automaticrlly projected whenthe wheel passes over a soft tractiw surface.

2. A traction wheel provided with a rim having open-- ings therein,tractors pivoted in said openings and normallylying wholly within thesame, and means whereby said tractors will be automatically projectedwhen the wheel passes over a soft traction surface.

A traction wheel having a rim provided with openings, said openingshaving three straight walls and one arcuate wall and tractors pivoted insaid openings.

4. A traction wheel having a rim provided with openings, said openingshaving three straight walls and one arcuate wail, tractors pivoted insaid openings and having arcuate sides which fit snugly against thearcuate walls of the openings.

5. A traction wheel having a rim provided with openings having threestraight walls and an arcuate wall, tractors pivoted in said openingsand having sides which meet at an acnminate edge.

(i. A traction wheel having a rim provided with open ings having threestraight walls and an arcuate Wall,

' tractors having arcuate sides which fit snugly against said arcuatewalls and sides which meet at an acuminate edge. I

-7. A traction wheel having a rim provided with openings having threestraight walls and an arcuate wall, tractors pivoted in said openingsand having arcuate sides which fit snugly against said arcuate walls andsides which meet at an acuminate edge. 7

8. A traction wheel having a rim provided with openings, tractorspivoted in said openings and having sides which meet at an acuminateedge, and means whereby said tractors will be automatically projectedwhen the wheel passes over a soft traction surface.

9. A traction wheel having a rim provided with openings, tractorspivoted in said openings and having sides provided with grooves.

10. A traction wheel having a rim provided with openings, tractorspivoted in said openings and having sides with grooves extendingtransversely with relation to the rim.

11. A traction wheel having a rim provided with openings. tractorspivoted in said openings and having sides which meet at acuminate edgeswhich are located upon one side of the pivots, and grooves located'uponthe opposite sides of the pivots.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.I

ALFRED E. GLASCOCK.

Witnesses:

Bnn'r. E. AMOS,

Jos. S. DUFFY.

